Świnoujście Lighthouse
{{Short description|Lighthouse in Poland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox lighthouse
| image_name = Latarnia Morska Świnoujście.jpg
| location = Świnoujście
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
Poland
| coordinates = {{coord|53.915979|N|14.284340|E|display=inline,title}}
| yearbuilt = 1828 (first)
| yearlit = 1857 (current)
| construction = brick tower
| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern rising from an octagonal prism basement with balcony
| marking = unpainted yellow brick tower, red dwelling, black lantern
| height = {{convert|212|ft}}According to the List of Lights. {{convert|213|ft}} according to The Lighthouse Directory.
| focalheight = {{convert|223|ft}}
| lens = 1st order Fresnel lens
| range = white: {{convert|25|nmi}}
red: {{convert|9|nmi}}
| characteristic = white light 4s on, 1s off; red light southwestward
}}
Świnoujście Lighthouse ({{langx|pl|Latarnia Morska Świnoujście}}) is an active lighthouse in Świnoujście, Poland.{{Cite rowlett|pol1|accessdate=2016-03-17}} At a height of {{convert|212|ft}} it is the fifteenth tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world, as well as the tallest brick lighthouse,{{cite rowlett|tallest}} and the tallest in Poland. It is located on the east bank of the river Świna just inside the entrance.
History
File:Latarnia Swinoujscie 1890 1900.jpg
The first lighthouse in the location was built in 1828 when the town was part of the Kingdom of Prussia and called Swinemünde. The current structure is from 1857. The cross-section of the entire 1857 tower was octagonal. However, in 1902–1903 the tower was restored to repair spalled brickwork. This converted the shape of the tower above the first gallery to the current round shape.
The tower was damaged during World War II. In 1945, during the retreat of the German troops, an order was given to destroy the lighthouse. However, the German keeper refused the order and the tower survived. The damage was only repaired in 1959, some fourteen years after the town was annexed by Poland.
In 1998–2000, for the new Millennium, the lighthouse was restored. It was reopened to the public in August 2000, along with a lighthouse museum in the keeper's house.
Construction
The tower is built of yellow bricks and is unpainted. The base of the tower is octagonal with a gallery. The tower itself is round with a second gallery and a lantern. In clear weather the view from the top gallery is about {{convert|45|km}}. Adjacent to the tower is a 2-story brick keeper's house and a museum.
There are 300 steps up to the second gallery.{{Cite web |url=http://www.swinoujscie.pl/449/ |title=Tourism |work=swinoujscie.pl |accessdate=10 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729060019/http://www.swinoujscie.pl/449 |archivedate=29 July 2010 }}
Visiting
The museum and tower are open Monday through Friday.
See also
{{Portal|Poland|Engineering}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
- {{cite ngall|116|2010|86}} Listed as "Pilot Tower"
- {{cite rowlett|pol1}}
{{Refend}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/Europe/Poland.htm The Lighthouses of Poland]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [http://www.umsl.gov.pl/ Urząd Morski w Słupsku] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217080042/http://www.umsl.gov.pl/ |date=17 December 2019 }} {{in lang|pl}}
- [https://polska-org.pl/7195691,Swinoujscie,Latarnia_morska_Swinoujscie.html Świnoujście Lighthouse - Latarnia morska (Świnoujście)] na portalu polska-org.pl {{in lang|pl}}
{{Lighthouses of Poland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swinoujscie Lighthouse}}
Category:Lighthouses completed in 1828
Category:Lighthouses completed in 1857
Category:Lighthouses in Poland
Category:Museums in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
Category:1828 establishments in Prussia
Category:Buildings and structures in West Pomeranian Voivodeship